An Indiana resident, faced with the potential of imprisonment, sought to disguise his casino earnings in an attempt to evade child support payments. The individual in question, Lance Halderman, attempted to claim his earnings through an intermediary to prevent the confiscation of his jackpot.
Records indicate that the 44-year-old Halderman has previously had his casino wins confiscated due to outstanding child support. This occurred in June 2023, when he owed more than $2,200 in unpaid child support.
For clarity, local legislation permits officials to garnish gambling proceeds and other income from parents who have defaulted on their child support payments. Once a garnishment order is issued by a jurisdiction’s prosecutor’s office or by a court, the order is revealed during an identity verification process.
Halderman, learning from past encounters, chose to conceal his recent winnings. After winning in excess of $2,000 on a slot machine at the Blue Chip Casino located in Michigan City, he requested another person to claim his winnings to prevent an ID check. As compensation, Halderman promised to pay the individual $100 for their assistance, as well as cover the tax liabilities on the income.
However, Halderman’s deceit was ultimately detected. He now faces charges of Level 6 felony for cheating at gaming at La Porte Superior Court 4, potentially resulting in up to 30 months of incarceration.
Conversely, Halderman’s accomplice avoided legal repercussions by admitting ignorance about the illegality of their arrangement, asserting that the intention was merely to assist someone in need.
Potential Officeholder’s Future Jeopardized By Felony
On a related note, an Indiana man’s political aspirations are under threat due to a former gambling transgression. Billy Joy of Terre Haute aspires to be the new treasurer of Vigo County, but his candidacy may be invalidated owing to his previous participation in unauthorized poker activities.
While Joy maintains that he was simply engaged in a friendly card game and hadn’t committed any illegal acts, he concedes that this situation could potentially undermine his campaign. Joy claims he will gracefully accept a legal mandate to withdraw his name from the running, should the need arise.
